Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Tuesdays With Dorie: Chocolate-Peanut Butter-Banana-Swirl Cakes

Elvis would love me for this one... If you're out there Mr. Pelvis, come on by. It's time for Tuesdays with Dorie. Once a week we bake fabulous desserts created by genius Greenspan. Pick up a copy of her book and bake along.
This week, we've got a gorgeous black and white banana loaf cake. Except mine is tan and black. It's my fault, really, because I can't resist the urge to tinker. Because if banana and chocolate swirled cake sounds good, doesn't chocolate-peanut butter-banana bread sound even better? Better still, you love it tender with a dusting of snowy sugar or a warm peanut butter glaze.
Legend has it that Elvis was a sucker for peanut butter and banana desserts. If you're alive, Mr. Presley, come on by and I'll make you another batch. Ours is all gone....
For a complete original recipe for Black and White Banana Loaf, click here. For my version, see below.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Swirl Cakes
Estimated Cost: $3.00
Notes: I made half batch, then put half of that batter into a 5 inch cake; the remaining I made into a miniature loaf.
1 medium to slightly large banana
2 ounces bitter or semisweet chocolate (1/3 cup chocolate chips)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
4 tablespoons peanut butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup white flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two mini loaf pans. (I used disposable.) In a small bowl, mash the banana. In a separate small microwaveable bowl, melt the chocolate and 1 tablespoon butter in the microwave, being careful not to scorch. In a large bowl, beat the remaining butter, peanut butter and both sugars; beat for two minutes. Add the eggs one a time, beating for one minute each. Add the vanilla. In a small bowl, combine flours with soda and salt. With the mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture, stirring only until combined. Add the milk, beat on low, then add the remaining dry ingredients. Add the bananas. Pour less than half the batter into the bowl with the melted chocolate. Stir in the cocoa powder. Drop alternating spoon fulls of both batters into prepared dish. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes before unmolding. Dust the top with powdered sugar or use the glaze recipe below.
For glaze: Heat 1 heaping tablespoon peanut butter in microwaveable bowl. Whisk in 1 tablespoon milk and 1 cup powdered sugar. Pour over the top of the still warm cakes.
Coming Tomorrow:
Asian Chicken, Orange, and Avocado Salad with Ginger Soy Dressing

78 comments:

  1. WOW! What a brilliant idea, banana,chocolate and peanut butter? Elvis would be proud! :)

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  2. Its low calorie right?! Oh that looks good!

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  3. Oh my this looks soooooo good! This looks so tasty Prudy that I even wanted to take a spoon and taste the mixture in the oven pan!!!!!! It just looks tooo good. :-D

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  4. This looks like another really good one. I love anything with peanut butter in it! I love it when you tinker with recipes. I think it is so funny.

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  5. If only I could eat chocolate! Heck, I might throw caution to the wind and eat this, hives and all! I'd be terrifying looking, but I'd be happy! :)

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  6. Yum! Prudy, that looks amazing! I was thinking peanut butter would work well in this recipe too, and that glaze looks so delish :)

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  7. Chocolate/ peanut butter makes a killer combo and if you also add banana to it it can only be a winner. This is great stuff!

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  8. Very pretty...love the icing that goes on top, too. Now, I am thinking along the lines of peanut butter and banana and just leaving the whole chocolate thing out...thanks for the idea...peanut butter and banana would be so popular around here! And, I think Elvis would like it, too!

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  9. Wow! That looks so yummy right know! I never thought of peanut butter! Looks great! You will have to check out our creation:)

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  10. Ohhhh, what an awesome idea. Thanks for doing the footwork here--I would never have been able to figure out how to successfully integrate peanut butter into this recipe!

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  11. Your cakes look so delicious and I'm with Elvis, peanut butter and banana is a great combination. I heard a rumor that when you cut the cake the calories leak out. Is this true? ;-)

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  12. Yes, I do have to say that peanut butter and chocolate banana loaf does sound better. How inventive of you! I might have to make your version because I think I might like it better and that glaze is kinda calling me right now!

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  13. i shld have tinkered! the peanut butter addition sounds lovely! I'll have it tan anytime baby! hehe.

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  14. That is so brillent! My grandma loves pb and b sandwiches.........

    Tomorrows recipe sounds good, I love asian food~

    Hannah

    Ps. I see Esther already commented, but I just couldn't resist!

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  15. Great idea! This sounds so delicious. I may whip up some of that peanut butter glaze for the rest of mine. Yum!

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  16. I love the idea of adding peanut butter! Looks fabulous!

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  17. Great variations! Peanut butter is a natural with bananas.

    Nancy
    The Dogs Eat the Crumbs

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  18. Wow what wonderful looking loafs! I love peanut butter and usually bake my banana bread with recess pb cups. It's the bomb!

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  19. You are so smart! That loaf cake looks so good, I especially love the glaze dripping down the sides.

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  20. omg, that looks soooo good. coincidence or fate? i was JUST thinking about making a peanut butter banana muffin...now i think i must add some chocolate to it! :-)

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  21. Beautiful!! I love the PB icing - tasty and pretty! ;)

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  22. prudy, you've done it again. and i am left drooling and scrambling around for ingredients.

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  23. I'm not a banana lover, but you may have just converted me.

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  24. Looks so yummy. I don't want to mess it up.

    Is it really supposed to have 4/3 cup of white flour, 4/3 cup of wheat flour, and 1/2 t salt? It seems like a strange way to list the ingredients.

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  25. Neat idea! I'm trying to think whether I've ever had peanut butter and banana together...

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  26. so fun with the PB...everything chocolate IS better with PB. love your marbled batter. i also played around with shapes and sizes. this was a FUN recipe.

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  27. Perfect! I wanted to bake something for my next door neighbor who has company, but wasn't sure what to bake. Problem solved! I hope I have enough to bake two. Tonight is Meet the Teacher and I would love to take one to her too!

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  28. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  29. Jen H:
    The recipe reads 2/3 cup whole wheat flour and 2/3 cup white flour, making a total of 1 and 1/3 cup. Does it read like that on your computer? I just went back to double check. Also the salt says just 1/4 teaspoon. Is that what you are seeing? Let me know.

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  30. Oh wow, you are sooo brilliant! I love it! I was thinking of doing a peanut butter icing on mine as well, but then time got the best of me. Your glaze looks fabulous, just the ticket! Then again, I'd expect nothing less than fantastic from you my dear! Ohh, can't wait til tommorrow, that sounds so yummy!

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  31. What a great idea to add peanut butter. I bet the family just loved it!

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  32. Peanut.Butter.Glaze. Wow...that sounds scrumptious!

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  33. Whole wheat flour snuck in again... and it looks fabulous with that glaze! Awesome job Prudy!

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  34. That looks delicious. I wish you could mail that to me!

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  35. Chocolate...good, banana...good, peanut butter...good. What more could you want! =)

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  36. oh, yum! I'll have to make this for The Husband. He loves all things chocolate and peanut butter.
    ~The Cat's Pajamas

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  37. Never even thought of adding peanutbutter.


    There were just so many flavors that I couldn't just distinguish one.

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  38. Is my blog reader going crazy on me? My kids confirmed that I'm not imagining this. The recipe we see lists the flours, baking soda and salt two times. It's a really long list of ingredients with part of it duplicated.

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  39. Omg. My husband loves pb-banana sandwiches. He'd love your adaptation! Great job!
    Clara @ iheartfood4thought

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  40. Can't wait to try this. Looks SO yummy!!

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  41. Great combos going on, yes Elvis would be proud, wish I had loaf on my counter today!

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  42. This looks great! I think I would like the loaf with the pb topping. My mouth is watering!

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  43. Boy does that sound good! Peanut butter with chocolate and banana!

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  44. It looks delicious! Love the peanut butter -- scrumptious!

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  45. Looks very, very good! I gave your little sailor an award :)

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  46. Jen H:
    I have no idea what is going on, but that is frightening. I'm going to look into it...

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  47. I'm sure Elvis would like your version better! And maybe even Dorie, lol!

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  48. Jen H:
    Can you exit my blog and retype the address? I accidentally hit publish last night when I was in the middle of editing. Maybe you are getting an old version of my recipe that published for about one minute??? Exit and retype the address and see what happens. That's all I can think of.

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  49. Yes, peanut butter sounds delicious. I'll definitely try that next time!

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  50. oh pretty marbling! It looks so tasty! Great job!

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  51. peanut butter glaze is definitely the icing on the cake! :0) Sounds delicious!

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  52. Warm peanut butter glaze?! Are you kidding, or just mean for parading this in front of me?

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  53. Now that I finally got my Dorie book, I really should join TWD. It looks like so much fun! Your cake looks mouthwatering! Mind sending me a slice?...quality control and all ;)

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  54. Adding peanut butter to this sounds delicious! What a wonderful idea- it looks sooo good!

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  55. Mmmm, that sounds gooooooood. I know what I'm dreaming about tonight (and no, it ain't Elvis!)

    Nice work!

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  56. Prudy, your blog makes me hungry! Thanks for visiting my site. I think it's great that you still love the "king". You know that my husband and I renewed our wedding vows in Las Vegas with an Elvis impersonator? It was great. Thank you very much!

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  57. Prudy, this sounds so delicious! My family LOVES peanut butter. Especially ME. My own banana bread calls for cup up peanutbutter cups and a peanut butter icing. Your swirls, powdered sugar, and icing is enough to make anyone run into the kitchen and start baking. Brilliant! =D

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  58. I'm loving the different creations I am coming across with this bread! Peanut Butter always makes things better - especially when there is chocolate involved!

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  59. i LOVE the peanut butter idea... and the glaze looks outstanding!

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  60. Whoa!! I love it with the peanut butter - awesome idea. Thanks for the inspiration, I'm going to try that next time, maybe as cupcakes since I'm obsessed with them right now (but that's just my problem!). I wish I could jump into your blog and take a piece of cake!

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  61. Are you kidding me!?? Peanut butter?! Brilliant! I am SO jealous I didn't get to try a bite of yours!

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  62. I'm so glad you tried this. As I was mixing up my batter I kept thinking about peanut butter, but wasn't brave enough to add some to the mix--- In fact, right at the end as I was marbling, I thougth about just swirling some in---- Thanks for being more adventurous than I!

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  63. I have been drooling over everyone's entries. This cake sounds UH-mazing. :) Yours looks so good with the peanut butter. ;)

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  64. Wow! That looks so good with the glaze! I'm definately going to do THAT next time. Great job!

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  65. The recipe looks great now! I think I will make it today.

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  66. Oh, peanut butter. Yessssssssss. And that glaze looks delish. We of the Land of Elvis send praises. ;)

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  67. oh wow this looks so good - i love chocolate + peanut butter (who doesn't?)!

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  68. OMG OMG - you must be a sister to me. I LOVE peanut butter and chocolate mixed together. Your loaf looks so professional it puts my little one to shame. Love your blog!!

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  69. Oh my that looks so good! The peanut butter glaze was a wonderful idea! My little one had the loaf as a snack with peanut butter on it and next time I will do the glaze! Elvis would be so proud!

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  70. Oh, that sounds SO good. Elvis isn't the only one who loves the peanutbutter and banana flavor combo! I'm just ashamed I didn't think of doing this!! Great job!

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  71. This looks so good! I love those flavors separately, so why wouldn't I like them together! Can't wait to try it, thanks!

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  72. Ohhhh...I am definately not ready to venture away from a recipe, but I admire those that can. Looks fantastic.

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  73. Great idea to use PB! I will have to try this twist.

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  74. I think your peanut butter glaze probably vastly improved this cake.

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  75. Thanks for the comment! You're loaf looks great, I will definitely be trying out your recipe. The glaze looks like a really nice touch too. I looooove peanut butter and bananas. I've been eating a peanut and banana sandwich almost every day for lunch since I was about 10...

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  76. I love your take on this cake! Beautiful! (And much more elegant than just smashing peanut butter all over a banana, which is what your post has me ready to do :) Love your blog, too!

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  77. mmmmm i love how you added PB! mouth watering good

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  78. You glazed it? Wow! It looks fabulous!

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